Wednesday, April 23, 2008

You really like us

Anyone who has followed the Trail Blazers this year knows that things are looking up. You can feel it in the Rose Garden and in the community: People want to be a part of Blazermania again.

And now we've got proof to back up the claim that Rip City is truly rising. ESPN released their annual Fan Satisfaction Ratings of every pro franchise in the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. Our Portland Trail Blazers, a team that up until recently was considered less than fan friendly, is ranked a stellar 30th out of 122 franchises, a considerable improvement from 2007 when we were ranked 92nd.

The Blazers have a relatively low "Bang for the Buck" rating, primarily due to the lack of wins over the past three seasons, but make up for by being ranked third in all of professional sports in the players category, which gauges the team's "effort on the field; likability off it." We're also ranked highly in fan relations (9th) and coach/management (13th) categories. As a frame of reference, consider that in the past five years, the Blazers were ranked 81st, 92nd, 90th, 121st and 121st in player effort and likability (121st out of 121 is as bad as it gets). That's a drastic improvement.

It's all about culture and accountability. You asked for it and the front office has delivered.